Have you ever taken the time to appreciate the ability to listen, really listen. It's not all done with our auditory sense. That simply processes the information. It allows you to hear but listening takes skill and practice and definitely presence! One must be present to listen. It can't work without that.

Given this last week of energy movement and people croaking, I had no other option. Well, I did. I could have done as I have before and power through it but that seems silly now. I save that for workouts now. Powering through anything else seems like resistance and too hard. I'm no longer of the mindset that doing things the hard way is worth it. 

I decided the only way I was going to stay upright was if I listened to what my body was telling me. Some days it said, go for it, clean that whole house, do some business planning, pooper scoop (I wasn't a fan of that one) and go for a wun (walk/run. I didn't hear to run the whole thing yet.) Other days it said take it easy. Take a nap (I did). Go with the flow and see how well things get done after (they do). 

This laid back approach is something I've been able to do before, on the outside. My inside chatterbox of a head would have been talking the whole time I laid back. This time I let the thoughts come but then they went right out again. It was amazing. The quiet was WONDERFUL!

Where are you not listening to yourself? Sometimes we have so much information going in it is very challenging to hear much less listen, but where is that? Where is the peace for you? Do you even know? 

Can you take some time to connect with yourself and to reconnect the listening skill that was so present when you were a baby and learning how to be? Can you give yourself the gift of real learning and embracing that skill? Will you? Will you consider that until you hear yourself, you will not be able to listen and in the listening be able to hear what you want and how to be happy?

I know you can do it. You learned to tie your shoes didn't you? Write your name? Then surely you can do this too. We will be a world of healthy ears and hearts when we connect the two in collaboration. Hearing with our ears, listening with them, and then doing the same with the heart. It wants to expand and be part of the party too you know.

For a beginner, stop and listen to what is around you. Turn off the electronics and hear what is around you. Don't get attached to it or feel you have to do anything. Start at the beginning. When that feels ok, you can move on to listening. Have fun with it, but get started. Talking about something and doing it are just as different as hearing and listening. :)

Here is to hearing!
Vicki

Today started like any other Sunday in my house. I slowly roll out of bed, coffee and convincing Tank, the resident canine, that we will indeed go for a walk, as soon as the coffee hits the blood stream. This Sunday was a bit more challenging as for the first time in a long time, I have had a doozy of a week trying to stay upright in the energy and the emotions of so many souls crossing. So I was moving a bit slower and with a bit less excitement about the walk.

Like most dogs, Tank is very intuitive, he waited until I was able to get my head around even getting dressed and then did the butt wiggle that those with bully breeds in them are well known for. It is impressive and a wonder he doesn't wind himself into orbit. I laughed and said the magic walk word and we were gone. Although he was a bit more of a challenge to start out with, he soon realized the other end of the leash was in no mood to let him smell every other dog who had ever walked the same path. Eventually we settled into a nice rhythm and the rest of the wun ( my special combination of walking/running) was a joy, once I got out of my own way and crankiness. That takes practice, I believe. To be able to shift your mood on command takes lots and lots of practice. We are eternal, we've got time, go ahead and practice. It is worth it!

I decided to do the Tank method of a walk. Everything is exciting, everyone I meet probably loves me as much as I must love them already just because they happen to be on the same street and all the smells mean this is the BEST route ever! Even if we just walked it few days ago. This is THE BEST!

Dogs are really good at staying in the moment. What if we learned to do that? What if we decided that whatever happened yesterday to annoy us could stay in yesterday because there are new people to meet and new lands to explore? 

Once we returned from our journey, I was so grateful for the example I spent the whole day being in the moment. Doing whatever I felt like doing and if the critic head showed up to talk about what I should be doing, I reminded myself to be Tank like. Now, when he chewed on a toy, I didn't join him, I do have some limits but I did recline and soak in the sun when it was out.

For the entire summer last year we tried to help Tank understand part of his breed, lab, likes water. They know to cool off it in and play and have fun. Needless to say, the pool was wasted on him because he wanted no part of it. We tried again this year on a hot day and still, no thank you was his response. We left the pool out in his yard thinking maybe he will get used to it that way. Well, he did as you can see by the picture. He just decided he likes it better as a bed than water holder, and inside out. He saw potential where we did not. Why? Because he didn't lament about last week when it had water in it, he just got in and enjoyed a nap. Another reason to be more like your dog, naps wherever you are.

Now, there are obviously traits I don't want to emulate from a dog's life but I really feel they are the smarter, more evolved species. They know crazy levels of love and forgiveness and there is no denying gifts at butt wiggles to show an internal happiness. How much fun would it be to observe nature this week and find your own inspiration? Find what can be the example when you want to sit in the poor me and use it to shift to your own butt wiggle happy place.

If you'll excuse me now, its time for bed. Tank gets excited by that and I can see why now. Dreaming is what brings happiness to life. He can dream of running with his friends at daycare and I will dream of him letting me sleep until seven tomorrow!

Happy trails,
Vicki

www.vickibaird.com

This week has been a bit challenging emotionally. Energetically as well. I appreciate a good challenge but sometimes I wish there was an off switch so I could not feel so much. Other times I am so grateful I can feel as much as I can, I could just burst with excitement and joy.

In the context of my life, you know, having people in it, as well as the context of my work, I see a lot of people hurting. For the most part I am able to put it in perspective as I truly know that I am not any help to someone if I am falling apart at the seams. I believe that some of us are given the ability to remain calm so that others can feel safe to share and express their own hurts. For the longest time, I had a hard time expressing those same hurts because who could understand the magnitude at which I feel and then I realized, no one. Because no one knows how any of us can feel. Only we can. This made me think about how we grieve and how some people hold on to it for generations and how others are able to move themselves to a healing space either through tenacity or through a true desire to feel good.

This thought then sent me to another one (doesn't being in my head sound like fun?) of what I wish people knew now while they are here in the physical. I did a group setting where plenty of loved ones came through yet the longing was still there to connect in a different way from the people sitting in front of me. I have long learned that I can't make stuff up and I won't so what comes through, comes through. I heard myself saying to the group, stop making it about big items. Embrace the everyday things that we pass off as not important and start to really live your life as it is lived on the other side, in love and humor.

Sooooooooo then I decided I would just compile a list of things I wish you knew that I have learned either in working with so many grieving souls or the other side has informed me of in our many meetings. So here goes; a few to contemplate.

• Life is eternal. There is not death. We move from physical to non-physical and back again but death does not exist. Energy continues. Learn it, accept it, be it.
• When you hold onto grief, you are not helping those who have crossed. You are not honoring them, nor are they interested in your pain as a way to remember them. If the relationship was challenging, do your part to heal it and then be grateful for the teacher that they were on your path to happiness.
• NO ONE is alone on the other side. No one crosses alone and no one is segregated. All travel together if that is the wish. There is the option of quiet space just like here only on the other side, it is celebrated and encouraged as a good thing and very healing. No one can fill us up and no one can take away. We are responsible for that in all levels of our growth, physical and non-physical.
• Experiences can hurt but if you continue to replay them, that is on you. It happened and while there may be residual effects, you are in charge of how much it hurts you. Decide if you want to sit in it or if you want to use it to help yourself grow. If you don't want to grow, keep that to yourself too. Others are not obligated to stagnate because you want to. Everyone has their own path and respecting that would go a long way to being happy on this side.
• As one person who was in transition (the space between the physical and non. What we refer to as the dying (wrong!) process) told me recently "I've had a go at this life, I am ready to see what is next and I am really looking forward to having hair again." Humor is really important and it is only secondary to love on the other side. I say we can learn to have that here too.
• It really is about the small stuff. The way we talk with others, the time we give ourselves in meditation, the service that we provide once we are strong and full ourselves. It is about listening with connection and it is about knowing self well enough to not be willing to do anything that feels out of alignment with our soul.

It is my wish that we all honor our individuality and personal paths and that we learn that while we are eternal, it is right now that is important. It is my wish that people know that hurting is temporary and it is our greatest teacher for when we can connect to that hurt then we have surely known joy for it is joy our heart and souls are fed by and craving.

It is in this knowing that while I am sad for my friends who are experiencing the passing of loved ones this week, I am ever so grateful that they knew what love is. I will encourage them to remember that whatever the relationship is to be grateful that it will continue and sometimes, it gets better!  I will also continue to share the knowledge that is given to me so that perhaps others can find that knowing that everything really is ok and that in this process we call life, love, humor, joy, connection, expression, expansion, and hair for those that are folically impaired, is not only possible, they are a given.

Focus on what is in your life and it will surely grow. For now I will focus on how amazing it is to feel and to be able to support those that are not feeling so great in this time for surely that is the expression of my love at it's highest intention.

Blessings,
Vicki

There is a lot of talk about solar energy and harnessing it and I totally agree. I love the sunlight and the feeling of basking in something so huge our brains can't even fathom holding that power and position. We think we understand the function of the sun and appreciate what it has to offer, but what if we could connect in another way other than what it gives us? What if we knew that we have more in common with the amazing ball of light than the darkness that seems to draw some into its grasp? 

While sitting on my newly built back porch (thank you husband Howard), I felt the most blessed connection to the light and to the power that it holds. It took me a bit to realize that it wasn't simply the warmth and glow but that it was activating in my own light. It was telling me that I have that light and like the sun, I can beam it out wherever I am whether others see it or not. For how often have we thought the sun wasn't out simply because a cloud was blocking it? It is still out. Science class will tell us it is out even when the skies are dark. It is out somewhere, it is still shining, not questioning whether it should shine, it just does. 

What if we were the sun? What if we held that position for even a short time each day. Imagine the light recycling program we could create? We could power the very heart of every person. Sharing our light when they forget they have a light. Sharing our brightness even when someone would like us to dim it for their benefit. 

While growing up I was often told not to be too smart. Now, sometimes that was my mouth that got me that comment but most of the time it was in a don't be too big for your britches statement. I can recognize now that it was meant in a protective way but what if I had heard, you shine that light Victoria. You beam it as far as you can and light the world and universe. What if EVERY kid heard that? I get giddy at the thought alone. 

What if we saw ourselves as solar panels and collected the beams and held them in a most loving way, willing to share, willing to offer and willing to bask. I really believe that when one is happy within themselves, they share that and in the sharing recycle it back to the Earth to make it a better place to be. It isn't hard. You can smile at someone, you can hug someone, you can go for a walk that fills your reservoir and be the example of what happy and content looks like. 

Sure there are going to be experiences in life that challenge that light, but come on, that is the fun part. Shining your light when everything is good is easy. Shining it when there is conflict or hurt or growing pains is harder, but the pay off is bigger! The feeling of I kept my light, I let it shine and dang if it didn't get brighter! Don't let the clouds of life block your sun! 

What can you do this week to charge your battery pack and shine your light? When we take in light, we give off light. It is as simple as that. You plug in your cell phone so it charges, why not charge your own solar panel so you can power up your life and maybe give another a shine! 

As a challenge this week, look for opportunities to light someone's day. That is the easy part, the lighting up, the challenging part is not getting attached. Simply offer. Simply shine. Simply wonderful! 

Light on! 
Vicki

p.s. as I write this it is cloudy out but I KNOW there is light there. :)

Don't wait for the perfect scenario to be good with you. It won't happen. We can have moments of "that was amazing" or "This is the best day ever", but perfect is just not attainable. Thank goodness because that is a lot of work to maintain, I would imagine. I don't know because perfection is not something I strive for. Mostly to avoid any disappointment as I know it is an exercise in futility. But I digress, or maybe am creating another blog.

So, don't wait for any scenario to be good with you. I mean, who are you walking around with anyway? YOU! No matter where you go, there you are, following, annoying and hopefully encouraging at the same time. See, you are too busy for perfection. So, if you are walking around with you, shouldn't you like you? Shouldn't you want to hang out with you?

Do you? Do you like your own company? Do you enjoy your solitude? I'm not talking about the time you say you are alone, but in fact, are on your computer, phone,  tablet or hooked into the tv. I'm talking about the time sitting quietly in your space, or walking or connecting with the very essence that is you. ALL of you, voices in the head included! Can you be silent without exterior noise or people and be good with it?

It's weird isn't it? We've become so connected that we've unconnected from ourselves. The idea of being alone is so scary to some, they become leeches on others and even believe that someone else's presence is the reason they believe they are happy or sad or mad or elated or any other feeling you can imagine. We are not Siamese twins, unless of course you are, meant to walk around so tied into another's beingness that we cease to be one yet I meet people every week who will say, "I can't be happy without him/her." To which I usually ask, how long were they alive before they met this giver of happiness and then ultimately the perceived taker of happiness. It is never at birth! It is always later in life, yet the belief is that this other human holds the key to all their value. Bunk, I tell ya, bunk!

I know we are here to connect with others but it is only when we are able to be with self, that true connection can happen. Otherwise, we are simply looking to others to complete us (thanks a LOT Jerry McGuire movie!). Sure, it's scary looking at self and seeing if there are any redeeming qualities there and if you are someone you could love but is also the most empowering thing you can do. And guess what happens when you love and like yourself? Other people do too! How cool is that?

So, take some time this week and set an intentional time, a date with self so to speak, where you tap in and ask, "Do I like me? Do I want to spend time with me? Am I afraid if I don't connect or am I afraid if I do connect?" As I pointed out earlier, you go everywhere with you, so don't tell me there isn't time!

When you find that you are good hearing from you, or feeling what you feel, you will realize that alone is not loneliness. Alone is the filling up of your reservoir where loneliness is the draining. Alone is the centered place of solitude where loneliness is the, I need someone to fill me up.

There is one thing for certain, when you come into this world you are doing the journey alone even though people are there with you, much like when you go out, there will be souls with you, but it is still solely your journey. Don't you want to know that you rocked it by liking you and taking the time to know how great you are?

Give it a go. Really be in that alone place this week. You may find you just love it so much, you crave it. To which I will say CONGRATULATIONS! We need more centered people in this universe! The bonus to getting to this place....you really start liking other people!

Here's to being alone I won't bug you when you are. :)
Vicki